UAS Sitka offers teacher workshop to get kids excited about science

Posted: April 4, 2013 - 11:02pm

JUNEAU EMPIRE

SITKA — The University of Alaska Southeast Sitka Campus will offer a three-day workshop on June 5-7 called “Educators and Scientists: Putting our heads together to get kids excited about science.” The workshop takes place at the Sitka Sound Science Center.

This workshop is a professional training for elementary school educators and scientists, aimed at teaching them how to develop teacher-scientist partnerships to help get kids excited about science. The workshop will be led by UAS faculty, Sitka Sound Science Center staff and other scientists and educators. It will provide educators with hands-on experience and training on how to teach science to a diverse student audience. The goal is to increase science literacy and build a workforce of marine and aquaculture professionals from within Alaska.

Elementary school teachers will learn how to inspire kids to think about science in new ways, and they will learn ways to make science fun. By participating, scientists will figure out how to bring their research to the classroom and engage the future scientists of Alaska. There is no cost to attend this workshop, but teachers can earn two continuing education and professional development credits by paying a $90 fee. Some travel scholarships are available for teachers from outside Sitka.

This workshop is offered in partnership with the UAS Sitka Campus Fisheries Technology and Understanding Pacific Pathways programs. It is funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture program Taking Aquaculture and Marine Education. The Sitka Sound Science Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to science research and education in the Gulf of Alaska. It offers classroom and laboratory space, a cetacean acoustic lab, a small aquarium with touch tanks and the Sheldon Jackson Salmon Hatchery.